


A Cause for Celebration

by A Magiluna Stormwriter (ariestess)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bechdel Test Pass, Bisexual Female Character, F/F, Female Protagonist, Female Relationships, Female-Centric, POV Female Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-01
Updated: 2014-12-01
Packaged: 2018-02-27 16:18:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2699363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/pseuds/A%20Magiluna%20Stormwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The last time I found myself feeling like this, I presented Henry with his own key to the house.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Cause for Celebration

**Author's Note:**

  * For [amycarey](https://archiveofourown.org/users/amycarey/gifts).



> Date Written: 30 November 2014  
> Word Count: 1178  
> Written for: [](http://ouat-ff-xchange.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://ouat-ff-xchange.livejournal.com/)**ouat_ff_xchange** 2014 mod gift  
>  Recipient: amycarey  
> Summary: The last time I found myself feeling like this, I presented Henry with his own key to the house.  
> Spoilers: Canon divergence that nebulously takes place in S4. It's probably safest to just consider everything up for grabs, even if it didn't happen in this AU.  
> Warnings: No standard warnings apply.  
> Website: ShatterStorm Productions – Doggie Duo  
> Link to: <http://bdkk.shatterstorm.net/>  
> Archive: ShatterStorm Productions & AO3 only…all others ask for permission & we'll see…  
> Feedback: Constructive criticism is always welcome.
> 
> Author’s Disclaimer: "Once Upon a Time," the characters, and situations depicted are the property of Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, Kitsis/Horowitz, and ABC Studios. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. This site is in no way affiliated with "Once Upon a Time," ABC, or any representatives of the actors.
> 
> Author’s Notes: I wasn't sure where I was going to go with this at first, but I trust in my muses to get their ideas across to me with relatively little complication. Once again, I've been struck with the curtain!fic trope, but I can't really help myself. I love writing them.
> 
> Dedication: My muses, as always…
> 
> Beta: Shatterpath, but all remaining mistakes can be owed to my stubbornness.

The last time I found myself feeling like this, I presented Henry with his own key to the house. The time before that, he was walking into his kindergarten class on the first day of school. His independence has been a source of both pride and abandonment for me. And now I'm about to do something similar with the other person who brings out those same feelings of pride and abandonment in me.

"So you came down to the station because…" Her words bring me out of my thoughts and I scowl as I feel my cheeks warming up from being caught navel-gazing. She leans back on the desk that used to be hers when she was Deputy Sheriff Swan, stretching out a hand toward me. "Come on, Gina, spill."

I take her hand automatically, stepping into her personal space without conscious thought. "I can't just come to see you at work? Is that what you're telling me, Emma?"

" _No_!" Her reply is automatic, accompanied by a tug at my hand to pull me even closer. "I like it when you come to say hi. I'm just curious if there's a reason behind it or if you're just wanting to give your poor girlfriend a reason to play hooky for the rest of the day."

"I may not be mayor any longer, but I still don't want you to shirk your duties, Emma Swan, especially--"

"I know, I know," she says, cutting in smoothly and rolling her eyes. "Especially when my dad is home with a sick wife and son."

"Which is why I brought you this," is my reply as I bring my free hand around from behind my back to dangle the bag from Granny's between us. "I didn't get you anything to drink as Granny was already a bit short-staffed, but I knew you had sodas here already."

Her face lights up like Henry's used to on Christmas morning as she grabs for the bag, tearing it open. "You brought me Granny's? Wait!" She looks up at me with slightly narrowed eyes. "You're not being mean and just putting something from home in a Granny's bag, are you?" Before I can even open my mouth, she continues with, "Not that I don't love your cooking, Gina, but Granny's burgers are just… Ugh!"

Rolling my own eyes, I point at the bag. "It's Granny's food. And now I know that the suspicion against healthy food is clearly genetic, because Henry's said much the same to me before." Her triumphant smile is marred only by the fries she's stuffing into her mouth. "Besides, the oven is currently occupied with tonight's dinner. I'm making something special for you."

"Yeah? What's the occasion?"

She offers me a fry, which I obediently take, chewing and swallowing before I answer. I'm careful not to look _too_ entranced by the taste. I'm supposed to be the one who doesn't like fast food. Her knowing smirk makes it obvious that she can see through my attempts at subterfuge. Rolling my eyes again, I reach into my pocket, wrapping my hand around the small box.

"It's a big day," is all I say as I watch her eating her fries, faintly distracted by the way her throat muscles move as she swallows them.

She hasn't even touched the burger yet, and reaches for napkins to wipe her hands before tilting her head to study my face again. Setting the bag aside, she tugs me closer again. "I can't think of any anniversaries that fall on today's date. What's so special about it?"

"Well, it's a new anniversary starting today." Taking a deep breath, I pull the box from my pocket and press it into her hand. "This is something that I've been considering for a while now, but I've finally decided that it's time. Open it?"

She licks her lips and carefully unties the bright red ribbon, setting it aside as she removes the black paper from the box. She studies the box itself for a moment, fingering the velvet on the outside, then takes a deep breath and opens it.

"Oh, Gina…"

I don't need to see her face to know there are tears in her eyes, just as I can feel them building in mine. All of my fears and worries about this moment were for naught. I can tell already that this was the right decision to make.

"Gina, is-- Is this what I think it is?"

I reach into the box to pull out its contents, dangling it between us. "This is exactly what you think it is. There's no need for you not to have it." I smile as she sets the box aside to take it from me, holding it like a fragile piece of glass. "This one," I say, pointing to the most modern of the trio, "is for my car. I know you love that death trap of yours, but I also know that it doesn't always work. With me not working right now, I want to guarantee you have a way to get to and from the station if you don't have the cruiser." Then I point to the second of the trio. "And this one goes to the house. No more using the spare or hoping I'm home. It's your home, too, and you deserve the right to come and go as you please." Before I can continue, she kisses me gently, then holds up the third with a curious look. "And that one opens the family crypt."

"Wait. Regina, what are you saying?"

"No more secrets, Emma. What's mine is yours -- _ours_. We're a family and we need to start acting like it across the board. That means no more division of what's mine and what's yours. Yes, we'll have something things only for ourselves, but these are things that should be shared as a family."

She fishes out her keychain and quickly adds the trio of keys to it, then pulls me into a tight hug. "Thank you, Regina," she whispers into my shoulder. "You have _no_ idea how much this means to me."

"Yes, I do." I lean back to cup her face in my hands and kiss her sweetly. "I love you and feel more complete when you're around. I want you to feel like you belong in this family and in our home, because you do."

"I love you, too, Regina. And now when I say I'll see you at home, I can really mean it."

"I'm sorry that I didn't do this sooner. It was stupid of me to be so…"

"Nervous? Selfish?" She grins and kisses me again. "We'll go with nervous." When I nod, she rests her forehead against mine. "So what's our special celebratory dinner tonight?"

"My lasagna and something else that will remain a surprise until you get home for dinner."

"I'll be there and I won't be late. I have the best reason in the world to go straight home from work. I love you, Regina."

"I love you, too, Emma."


End file.
